Containers for viscous liquids



Jan. 12, 1965 R. J. JACKSON CONTAINERS FOR VISCOUS LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 9, 1963,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 R. J. JACKSON CONTAINERS FOR vzscous uqums 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1963 INVENTOR A TT-ORNEY United States Patent Ofi ice 3,165,242 Patented Jan; 12, 1965 3,165,242 CONTAINERS FOR VISCOUS LIQUIDS Robert James Jackson, Sunningdale, England, assignor to County Laboratories Limited, Brentford, England, a British company Filed Apr. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 271,802 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 10, 1962,

- 13,831/ 62 ,5 Claims. (Cl. 222-495) This invention relates to containers for viscous liquids and also for pasty liquids such as dentifrices.

It is well known torpack viscous liquids, for example cream shampoos, in collapsible containers of plastic material such as polyethyleneywhich are squeezed to eject a desired quantity of the liquid. A disadvantage of such a container is that air issucked in through the outlet mouth of the container when the squeezed pressure is released, this air leading to difliculty when it is subsequently desired to eject a further quantity of liquid. An object of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage.

According to the present invention, there is provided a collapsible container for viscous liquids comprising a substantially rigid hollow neck through which the contents of the container can be discharged and a valve member which is movable within the neck, the said valve member being normally positioned on an annular valve seat inside the neck so as to close the container, but being capable of limited movement from its seat under the pressure of the contents of the container being discharged.

In the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by the same reference numerals:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURES 25 are similar views illustrating the use of modified valves as compared with that of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a further similar view illustrating the use of a flat resilient flap-type valve.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 1, a collapsible container 1 for viscous liquids is made of flexible polyethylene, but has a substantially rigid hollow cylindrical outlet neck 2 provided with an external screw thread on which a screw-threaded closure cap (not shown) can be fitted as desired. The neck 2 has an inwardly directed flange or lip 3 at its outlet end. A generally cylindrical valve housing 4 is fitted inside the neck 2, the flange or lip 3 engaging in an annular groove in the housing to secure the housing in position. The housing 4 has an inwardly directed flange or lip 5 at its outlet end and an annular valve seating 6 at its inlet'end. A valve member 7 has a convex bottom surface which is normally seated on the valve seating 6 to close the valve. A plurality of resilient fingers 8 arranged in a cruciform manner project from the valve member forwards towards the outlet end of the neck 2.

The valve can be fitted before the container 1 is charged with the viscous liquid it is to contain, and the container can then be charged through the end opposite the one having the valve. After charging, this end can be closed and permanently secured. When it is desired to discharge some of the viscous liquid from the container, the cap is unscrewed from the neck and the container is squeezed. The liquid will pass out of the container and through the valve housing 4 in the neck, the valve 7 being displaced from the annular valve seating 6 by the pressure of liquid. Movement of the member 7 is limited by the fingers 8 which engage inside the internal rim or flange 5 of the housing 4. When the squeeze pressure on the container is released, the valve 7 returns to its closed position under its own weight if the container is positioned with the outlet end of the neck uppermost, and/or owing to the tendency of the viscous liquid to flow or suck back when the squeeze pressure is released.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a similar arrangement which differs from the FIGURE 1 construction in having a hollow valve body 9 with resilient fingers 10 projecting from the rim of the body.

In the embodiment'illustrated in FIGURE 3, there is used a valve member 11 in the form of a flattened sphere or, alternatively of a sphere. This valve member 11 is held in position by a plurality of resilient fingers or tentacles 12 projecting inwards from the wall of the valve housing 4 and bearing at all times on the outlet side of the surface of the valve member 11.

FIGURE 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which a valve member is a disc 13 from which a plurality of resilient fingers 14 project into engagement with the inside of the flange or rim 5 at the outlet end of the valve housing 4. The flange or rim 5 in the case has an internal groove 15 in which the fingers 14 are engaged. This valve will open against the pressure exerted by the resilient fingers 14 and will return to its closed position because of the resilience of the fingers and of the flow-back action of the viscous liquid. FIG- URE 5 shows a modification of this arrangement in which fingers 16 project from the centre of disc 13.

In the construction illustrated in FIGURE 6 a valve is formed by means of a resilient flap 17 or slit in the bottom of the valve housing 4. Such a flap or slit will open under pressure of the liquid in the container when the container is squeezed, but will close when the pressure is released under the weight of the liquid in the well and/ or under the flow-back action of the liquid.

If desired, the annular valve seating 6 and/ or the inwardly directed flange 5 can in any of the embodiments described be formed by an inwardly directed flange or flanges at an end or ends of the neck 2 itself, the use of a valve housing in the neck being then avoided.

What I claim is:

1. In a collapsible container for viscous liquids comprising a substantially rigid hollow neck with an outlet through which the contents of the container can be discharged, the combination comprising a valve located in said neck and comprising a valve housing secured inside said neck and provided with an inwardly directed flange at an outlet end and with an internal concave and annular valve seat; and a valve member which is movable inside said housing and which has a convex surface adapted to seat on said valve seat and a plurality of fingers extending towards, and engageable with, said inwardly directed flange.

2. In a collapsible container for viscous liquids comprising a substantially rigid hollow neck with an outlet through which the contents of the container can be discharged, the combination comprising a valve device secured in said neck and comprising a valve housing provided with an inwardly directed flange at an outlet end and with an internal concave and anular valve seating, a movable valve body with a convex surface normally seated on the valve seating, and a plurality of fingers inside said housing, said fingers being sufliciently resilient to permit limited movement of said valve body from said valve seat thereby to allow the contents of said container ,to be discharged. 7

3. In a collapsible container for viscous liquids comprising a substantially rigid hollow neck with an outlet through which the contents of the container can be discharged, the combination comprising a valve device secured in said neck and comprising a valve housing provided with an inwardly directed flange at an outlet end prising a substantially rigid hollow'neck with antoutlet through which the contents of the container can be discharged, the combination comprising a valve located in said neck and comprising a valve housing secured inside said neck and provided with an inwardly directed flange at i an outlet end and with an internal concave and annular valve seat and a valve member which is movable inside said housing and which has a convex surface adapted to seat on said valve seat and a pluralityof resilient fingers integral with said valve member and arranged in a cruciform manner to project from said valve member towards said outlet, said fingers being engageable with said flange when said valve member is displaced from its seat.

5. In a collapsible container for viscous liquids com: 20

prising a substantially rigid hollow neck'with an outlet through which the contents of the container can be discharged, the combination comprising a valve located in said neck and comprising a valve housing secured inside said neck and provided with an inwardly directed flange at an outlet end and with an internal concave and annular valve seat; and a hollow valvemember which'is movable in said housing and has a convex surface adapted to seat on said valve seat, and a plurality of resilient fingers extending fromthe periphery of said hollow valve member towards said flange so as to be engageable with said flange when said valve member is displaced fromits seat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,530,112 3/25 Densmore 222-495 1,862,794 v 6/32 Lamb 2221496 2,080,427 5/37 McLa'ughlin 222-496 2,094,700 10/37 Gunn 2221-490 FOREIGN PATENTS 547,508 4/32 Germany. 7

LOUIS r. DEMBO; Primary Examiner.

HADD S, LANE, Examiner. 

1. IN A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER FOR VISCOUS LIQUIDS COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGIS HOLLOW NECK WITH AN OUTLET THROUGH WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER CAN BE DISCHARGED, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A VALVE LOCATED IN SAID NECK AND COMPRISING A VALVE HOUSING SECURED INSIDE SAID NECK AND PROVIDED WITH AN INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE AT AN OUTLET END AND WITH AN INTERNAL CONCAVE AND ANNU- 